


Close to You

by MusicalLuna



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Bad Days, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Hugs, Jarvis (Iron Man movies) is a Good Bro, Male Friendship, Not Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase Two Compliant, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-09
Updated: 2015-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-11 01:44:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10452177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicalLuna/pseuds/MusicalLuna
Summary: Hugs aren't something Tony's found a supplier for, so he makes do.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rendingrosencrantz (Moonlit_Lampshade)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonlit_Lampshade/gifts).



> rendingrosencrantz:
> 
> So, I was thinking about that one thing someone submitted to starspangledsprocket about how the reason Tony likes coffee so much is bc that one thing about how holding a warm cup or drinking a warm drink or something simulates human touch, but then, I remembered Tony drinking from his kitty mug in his suit, and like…
> 
> that got me thinking.
> 
> What if, when Tony’s feeling down, he’ll go seek his suit, and the rest of the team thinks it’s him going on the defensive or something but really it’s because the inside of it has a function that can warm him up and it’s like getting a whole body hug from JARVIS.   
> \--
> 
> I COULDN’T HELP IT

It’s been a long, unpleasant day so the first thing Tony does when he gets home is head straight for the shop.

“Bad day, sir?” JARVIS asks softly.

Tony sighs and rubs the heel of one hand over the edge of the arc reactor where his chest aches. “Yeah, J. Is the Mark LVI up?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Great, perfect. Can you brew some coffee?”

“Already done, sir,” JARVIS replies and Tony smiles a little.

“Knew I could count on you, buddy.”

As promised, the Mark LVI is waiting for him in the center of the shop, which smells like freshly brewed coffee. Tony inhales deeply and feels it seep through him, the smell alone easing away some of his tension. He digs his favorite mug out of the mess on the workbench and fills it up, holding it with both hands so the heat seeps into his palms and down his arms. He presses it against his chest too for a second and lets out a silent sigh as it softens the ache of the muscles.

Then, reluctantly, he sets aside the mug long enough to step into the open chassis of the Mark LVI. It’s already warm inside and Tony shivers as it closes up around him; it’s like being hugged everywhere all at once. He lets himself sag into it, trusting JARVIS to keep the suit upright.

“I’m sorry to hear about your day, sir,” JARVIS murmurs in his ear.

“Yeah, J,” Tony sighs, “me too.” But he already feels better. He’ll just stay here a few minutes, then he can do some work on those tacky arrows he’s been thinking about.

“Tony?”

The voice startles him and Tony jerks, coffee spilling over the gauntlet as he whirls around to see—Steve.

The movement catches Steve’s searching eye and a frown creases his face, his eyes trailing from the helmet all the way to the boots. “Tony? Did you get a call?”

“What? No,” Tony blurts.

“Oh,” Steve says, expression clearing. “You’re testing upgrades.”

“No,” Tony blurts again and what the hell mouth, come on that was the perfect out!

Steve’s frown is back. “Then…then what are you doing?”

Tony grimaces. He tries to press his fingers into the corners of his eyes, but _helmet_ , so he just raps his knuckles on his forehead a few times to the mantra of _stupid, stupid, stupid._

“I’m sorry, sir,” JARVIS murmurs, guilt thick in his voice. He learned that. How to do it and how to apply it properly—for a second Tony’s distracted by how proud he is. Then he remembers Steve who’s starting to shift antsily at the lack of answer. Tony sighs. Well, at least he doesn’t have to look Steve in the face and say it.

“I was—getting a hug. From. JARVIS.” Wow, god, that sounds even more idiotic out loud. “It was a long day, okay, I’m tired, he made me coffee, the suit is warm, _it’s nice okay.”_

“I didn’t say anything, Tony,” Steve says, but he’s staring.

Tony rolls his eyes, his sharp edges coming back in force. “Yeah, no need to, thanks—”

“Could I— I mean, that is— Would you mind if I gave you a hug, too?”

“—I can read between the lines wait, _what?_ ”

Steve turns pink along his cheekbones and scratches at his forehead, eyes darting down to the floor and then back up to Tony’s face. “If it’s okay with you,” he says haltingly, “I’d like to give you a hug, too. If I could.”

“Seriously?” Tony says, damn his mouth.

Steve just nods.

Tony is still trying to get his brain wrapped around what he’s hearing when the front of the suit opens up. He splutters, looking up at the retracting faceplate. “Accept, sir,” JARVIS urges in an undertone.

Steve’s watching him with a kind of _hopeful_ expression and Tony sure as hell can’t resist _that_ , so he steps out of the warmth of the suit. Goosebumps crawl up the backs of his arms, his heart starting to thump a little harder. “Um. Okay.” Harder still when Steve steps toward him.

He reaches out, hands curling around Tony’s elbows without touching him and says seriously, “I’m sorry you had a rough day, Tony.”

“Yeah, well,” he mutters, and his eyes are skipping around the workshop when Steve moves in entirely and pulls Tony close.

Tony’s breath catches. He’s big and warm and it’s not like the suit, he can’t feel it all over, but there’s a stripe of heat down his front, two more looped around his back. Steve’s just as solid as the suit, but he’s softer, more welcoming, his body seeming to mold to fit against Tony’s.

His chest rises and falls shallowly against Tony and he finds himself matching it, arms curling around Steve’s back where he digs his fingers in, probably a little too hard, but _god_ it feels good, all the stress of the day just swirling away like water down a drain.

He forgets that it’s a person he’s holding on to, that they’ve probably gone way past the point of awkward, but Steve doesn’t move. He squeezes Tony tight enough to make him feel safe and drags one hand in long, slow strokes over his back until it feels like his spine is going to melt straight out of his body.

“I know you’ve got JARVIS,” he murmurs finally, lips brushing Tony’s temple, “but you can come to me. Anytime. If you need a hug or—whatever.” Then Tony feels his mouth quirk up at the corner. “Hell, I could use a few myself.”

Tony grips him a little tighter. “Same. Whatever, whenever you need it, Steve.”

“Okay,” Steve agrees softly.

They don’t move for a long time.


End file.
